Need You Now and Always
by MakoRain
Summary: A year has passed since his best friend's death and Roy honors it in the best way possible, with a stiff drink and unwanted memories. Hopefully the person who is always closest to him can help banish them, at least for the night. Royai oneshot anime verse


A/N: I can never hope to gain as much popularity in any other series beyond what I've reached in the FF7 community but after dabbling in FMA off and on for a few years, it would be much appreciated if readers could simply drop a line and tell me what you think. Reviews are a huge part of what has kept me going for so long.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything FMA (besides my personal copy of the anime), that right goes to Hiromu Arakawa and Viz Media.

Background music: "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum (truly left an impression on me which is a huge accomplishment for a country-pop song)

**"Need You Now and Always"**

By MakoRain

The glass in his hand felt warm from the amber colored liquid it contained. He swished it around, getting lost in thought staring at the bar's low lighting as it hit the liquor and splashed a prism onto the wooden bar. If you looked at it at just the right angle he swore it looked like fireflies fluttering around in there.

Or it could be the fact that it was his third consecutive whisky over the span of forty five minutes.

The cause didn't matter. Nothing mattered, not tonight.

"Might wanna slow it down there, Colonel. Yer gonna out drink my regulars tonight."

The bar keep said the words in a good hearted nature, adding a chuckle as he wiped a glass with the towel in his hand. He thought Roy didn't notice the way he glanced over his shoulder at the clock and then back to the Colonel. It was only eleven thirty for Christ's sake, no need to rush.

"Thanks for the concern, Sam, but not tonight alright? Just keep 'em coming."

Mustang emphasized this fact by lifting his glass to Sam in a toast that never came before downing the entire contents, placing the now empty glass onto the bar's surface with a satisfying smirk. Sam just shook his head and poured the drink, knowing better than to mess with Mustang when he was this far gone. Usually the Colonel was a light hearted guy who would be out with his fellow comrades or a beautiful woman but not tonight. Not that it was any of Sam's business which Roy made clear with a pointed stare at the bar keep until he moved on down to a crowd at the other end.

Roy contemplated swigging this one down in one gulp as well but the burn was still there, he didn't need to add fuel to the fire. Right, no need to rush. He sipped his drink gingerly, letting the fire linger a little. His life was up in flames as it was. Flames; that made Mustang chuckle to himself at the obvious pun there. His gloves reminded him of this as they sat on the bar next to him. Sam didn't like him wearing them inside, not after he tried to break up a fight with a snap of his fingers. It would be an awful waste for all of that alcohol to burn up like that. The little fact that it would probably kill everyone in the near vicinity was also a concern that nagged in the back of his mind. He was a man for the people, after all.

And so there the gloves sat, mocking him in their ash-stained glory, the symbol for flame alchemy glaring up at him. They were a constant reminder of all the things he had seen with Ishbal, the Homunculi, the corrupt government he had hoped to one day rule. The things he had done under orders he could not refuse still haunted his dreams; he would scream at all of those innocent people to run, escape, that he didn't have a choice! As if yelling at ghosts could change anything. They all burned into piles of ash in the end, they always did.

Colonel Mustang ran shaky fingers through his hair, trying to push those memories away. He didn't need any more reminders of death, not today.

He downed his drink without thinking and pushed the empty glass away from him, signaling Sam for another.

"Sir, did you drive here?"

Roy cocked his eyebrow at Sam, the slightest symbol of his annoyance rising to the surface. He sighed, the bar keep was just looking out for him after all; going above and beyond his station. "Yes, you know I did."

"Colonel, your keys...please?" Sam added that little please hesitantly and Roy smiled, happy he could still intimidate someone on a whim. He handed the keys over without complaint, enjoying the way Sam's entire body relaxed as if he'd been tensed up for a fight just a few moments before. He really was a good guy after all Roy thought, taking a healthy swig of the newly poured whisky Sam had slid over without Roy noticing in the least. Points for him.

Lacking observational skills was something his subordinate Hawkeye was always harassing him about and so Mustang decided to take a quick scan of the bar. A quick scan turned into a slightly blurry intake of the room, his eyes spinning with the movement and his head tilting. He hadn't even stood up and yet he felt like the whole room was moving apart from the Earth's axis. He drew his hands over his face, wiping away the gathering sweat on his forehead.

Yep, he was good and drunk.

Just as he realized his current condition, the door opened to the small bar, letting in a burst of cold air that left the patrons at the lower tables cursing. The new customer waved them away and stood off to the right side of Mustang's back.

He sighed again, this time looking at Sam with a scornful look. "So you told mommy on me?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders from a safe distance away at the other side of the bar. "Just looking out for you, Colonel."

The younger woman's voice spoke calmly over his shoulder. "Apparently you need to be looked after at all times, sir. Or maybe you're as fond as I am of receiving these calls around quarter after one."

"I'm just enjoying a quiet drink, Hawkeye. Relax." To demonstrate this, he patted the bar stool beside him and tilted his drink her way. She feigned reluctance as she always did when in public with him at taking the seat he offered but refused the drink, jingling the keys Sam had quietly slipped into her capable hands.

"None for me tonight, sir."

Roy groaned and took another sip of his drink. She knew how much that grated him.

"Hawkeye, how long have you known me?"

"Since my teenage years, sir." She answered without a bat of an eye even as his eyebrow started to twitch.

"I consider you one of my closest friends. You practically know me better than I know myself, do you not?"

"Probably, sir."

"Then why do you to constantly call me sir!" He slammed his drink onto the solid oak bar that startled a few other patrons close by but didn't bother her in the least. She knew what she was doing.

"Because you are my superior officer, si-"

He cut her off before she could do it. Damn her, she knew what she was doing.

"When we're not in the office, it's simply Roy. At the most Mustang if you must. But please..." His ranting was losing steam as he looked into her hazel eyes, showing concern and obedience and the slightest touch of warmth, as always.

"Please, don't call me sir. It makes me feel older beyond my years."

He didn't mean for that last part to slip out but he didn't see the harm, she at least now knew the reason it made his eyebrow twitch every time she called him that after hours.

"I understand...Roy." She accompanied his name with a small smile reserved just for him. It wasn't the first time they'd had this talk but maybe this time she would do as he suggested. That is, if he even remembered this conversation the following morning.

"See now, that wasn't so hard."

His smile was a little wobbly. Apparently Sam was right to be worried. She was thankful he called, not that she would ever let Roy know that.

"And I assume I can call you by your first name?"

"As per usual."

"Right. Thanks for not letting me drink alone, Riza."

"You're welcome, Roy. Especially tonight." Neither needed to elaborate at how much this day held for them both.

"Especially tonight."

His eyes went to a dark place she never enjoyed seeing them disappear to and then suddenly he was back, lifting his glass.

"To Maes, wish he coulda stuck around just a little bit longer to see this adventure out to the end."

So much had happened in the short year since that day, more bad than good. It made Roy close his eyes with the burden of it all.

Riza placed her hand on his shoulder for an instant and then it was over. "You know he is."

He nodded before downing the last of his drink and set the glass on the bar, retrieving his gloves as he took his first step off of his stool and stumbled a bit. Riza immediately slipped her arm around his waist and flung his arm around her shoulder skillfully. After all, this wasn't the first time she'd done this.

He staggered gratefully beside her, breathing in the scent of her recently washed long blond hair. She must have forgotten to put it up when she left to get him or she left it down on purpose, knowing how much he enjoyed her letting it grow out. The cause didn't really matter as his head lolled against her shoulder, enjoying this more than he'd ever let on. She had to know he needed her for nights such as these and everything else he faced in his life. She was his rock, always there when he needed her.

These thoughts swirled foggily around in his whisky soaked brain as she easily carried his weight along with hers, managing to maneuver them both out the front door with a little creative angling until they were tumbling into Roy's car.

Riza slipped behind the wheel and was about to start the vehicle when suddenly Roy's hand was taking hers off of the steering wheel and holding it gently in his own. Her eyes asked all of the questions she couldn't put voice to as he stroked his thumb over the back of her soft hand, not ever wanting to let go.

"I need you, Riza. I always will."

"I know. And I'll always be here for you."

Roy smiled that heart melting smile, that smile that won over so many women's hearts all over Amestris. Riza wasn't a fool but she couldn't deny she was smitten as well, as smitten as she'd been as a sixteen year old girl. She'd learned a lot since those childish years but one thing was certain as he kissed her lips softly; she was and would always be in love with Roy Mustang, the ever burning Flame Alchemist. She would always be there to make sure it stayed that way.

_As it was meant to be._

The End.


End file.
